What Truck, Boat and Outboard does Russell run?

I run a NITRO Z-21 with Mercury 250 ProXS and 10' Power-Poles. My tow rig of choice is a RAM 2500HD V-8 HEMI.

My Sponsors

My sponsors are Bass Pro Shops, Mercury Outboards, Motorguide, and Power-Poles.

What Russell does for a living:

I'm the Director of Construction for a national data,video, and voice provider and low voltage systems intergrator.

What you should know about Russell:

I have the best support team a man could have which is my wife Dana and duaghter Jennifer that support me 100% in my fishing career.

How Russell started fishing

I started fishing like most kids, with a bicycle and local creeks and ponds with occasional summers spent on Lake Murray, S.C. on a 10' aluminum boat powered by a 12 volt trolling motor and a paddle.

Aspirations or goals with fishing

My fishing career goals are always to win and promote my sponors first and foremost. Without them I  wouldn't be where I'm at today. 

Favorite way to fish

I like flipping heavy cover becuase pulling those green backs through it is like trying to lift a cement truck off the ground.

Most exciting fishing experience

My father and I took a trip to Mexico to go bass fishing.

How Russell preps for a tournament

I really just do tackle management items until I actually get on the water. Then I let the day tell me what direction to go and apply what I learned for prep for the next fishing day.

Three favorite search baits

I like to make sure i cover water so fast moving baits like spinnerbaits and crankbaits for searching with.

Best tournament finish and what you did that day when you were fishing.

Best day was at the BASS Southern Open where i was in 9th place at Lake Toho, Florida flipping heavy cover. 

Most challenging part of tournament fishing

The long hours of practice and late nights of prep for the next day.....enough said I'm going to bed so I can wake up in two hours. lol

When tournaments don't go my way

I treat those bad tournaments like I do the lures the fish weren't interested in. I drop them on my deck and forget about them. I don't really try to dwell on the past unless its positive because it doesn't help climb the ladder. To dwell on the negative only adds more rungs to the ladder to reach my goals.

Advice to give to an aspiring tournament angler:

Start fishing with your high school, college teams, and local Bass club.

Some shared general bass fishing techniques for people just getting into the sport

For new anglers i would recommend a Texas rig worm as you can actual covert this into a couple different set ups if needed. Such as, pegging the sinker above the hook for a C-rig or remove the weight an hook in the middle for a wacky rig. They get a couple technics with a small investment.